St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-28
VAGARIES OF THE VOICE.
Something About Lisping, What
Causes 1t and How to Cure 1t.

Causes 1t ana HOW TO cure IL.
The human voice is as much subject
to the vagaries of fashion as an article
of dress, and Just now lisping is consid
cred the proper thing. This manner of
speaking, which is 10 more or less than
an impeachment, was few years ago
thought to be a subject for ridicule, yet
to-day the newspaper critics and actor
worshiping public go into ecstacies over
the lisp, and when it comes from the
lips of fayOrite actress they speak OF
it as captivating" OF cunning" or
''cute."
Sometimes ct is the result of affecta-
ton: sometimes from some remediable
condition of the mouth and teeth, and
very frequently it results from causes
which the oral surgeon cannot deter
mine.
A cleft palate very often produces
lisp that is positively annoying. This
cannot be remedied. Again a lisp is
produced by a high-rO0fed mouth. In
such cases the remedy is easy. 1t is
simply to insert plate similar to that
upon which teeth are mounted. The
effect is to produce Il lower roof and re-
store the voice TO its normal tone.
An expert i'll oral surgery, speaking
of the causes that produce liSping,
under his notice are the results of Oper-
atiOns by dentists. OftentimeS the
teeth are crowded. and to give them full
play the dentist will file slight opening
between the teeth and bevel them on
the under edges. This makes an open
inc through which the air ruSheS and
causes lisping. Again he states lisping
is due to causes which cannot be deter
mined. In such cases no cure can be
effected. as the physician, not knowing
the cause of the evil. cannot remedy it.
The extraction of tooth will produce
liSping. and, in fact. almost any cause
that Obstructs the volume of sound as it
leaves the mouth is liable to produce
the same result.
A well-knOwn speaker who used
trOches to clear his voice was OH one Oc
casion alarmed at the whiStling sound
made by each effort to talk. He could
not account for the change in his voice,
but as it gradually wore Off he became
satisfied it was from artificial cause and
subsequently, found that whenever one
of the trOcheS stuck to the roof of his
mouth it caused lisping and that the de-
feet disappeared as the trOche dis
solved.
The operator told of an actress whose
acting lie had often admired, but whom
he had never seen except Oh the stage.
He was struck with peculiar
lisp the lady had and thought it
was one of the most attract
i've features about her. Shortly
after the lady visited his office
and asked if the defect. which he
thought her greatest charm, could not
be remedied. After an examination.
the doctor informed her it could, but
said. MADAM, YOU are seeking to re-
move something that is your greatest
charm. This lisp which you dislike is
your fortune"
The lady decided to continue the lisp.
| The cause of it. the physician found,
was tooth which had become twisted
! slightly out of shape by crOwdingS, and
! left an opening, through which the air
| rushed and caused the lisp.
Nearly everybody remembers the pc
| GUITAR lisp of Stuart Robson. the actor.
| When he first appeared in comedy his
! defective speech was the subject of
ridicule. Afterwards the people began
| to think it humorous and his fortune
was made. With his success lisping be-
| came popular. and now it Is affected by
! many actresses and actors.
| The appearance of effeminacy in men
| is often caused by condition of the
mouth that can be remedied. Most
persons who lisp. the female portion in
| particular, however, prefer TO keep
| their lisp, knowing that 1t is admired.